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Dec. 10, 1929. R. D. SAWTELL WORKMANS TIME REC IORDER Filed Jan. 26, 7

I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

, nature enc'e are of the illustrative embodiments of. the

Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNITED STATES RICHARD D. SAWTELL, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TOJ'AMES W. ANDERSON;

PATENT OFFICE 1 OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WORKMANS TIME RECORDER Application filed. January as, 1927. Serial No. 163,676.

This invention relates to improvements in recording instruments and, more especial- 1y with reference to some of its details, it relates to in'iprovements in worlrmens time rec rders or time clocks such as are utilized to nalre time records upon time cards or similar time sheets.

"t is a general object of the invention to provide improvements in recording mechanism of the class mentioned, whereby operation thereof to make a record or impression on a worlinians time card or a time sheet, or the like, is prevented at certain predetermined periods While such recording operation is permitted at other times.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in instruments of the class mentioned, an improved automatically controlled mechanism operating to prevent, at certain prede ermined intervals, the making of an impression or record by the instrument, while permitting the same to be made at other times. i

Still another object is to provide, ininstruments of the class mentioned, a simple and cflicient time controlled mechanism for obstructing, at certain intervals, a recording action of the instrument, thus preventing the workman from making a record on his time card or the like, as for example, during the l. p e of a certain period of the work day, or alter a certain time thereof. g

Other objects will be pointed out in connection with the following detailed description of certain illustrative but preferred em bodiments of the invention, and still others will be obvious in connection with such dcscription.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and ar'angement of parts, which will be ez-iemplified in the construction hereinaf tor set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims. 1

For a more complete understanding of the and objects ofthe invention, referhad to the following detailed disclosinvention, and: to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary,partially diagrammatic side elevation of a recording mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showa front elevation of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a detail, showing the mechanism in a different position. I V

Fig. dis a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a slightly modified arrangement, and

Fig. 5 is central vertical section through a modified form of register obstructing plate.

Referring to the drawing for a detailed description of the different embodiments of the invention there shown, a frame work for supporting the various operative elements ofthemechanism is shown generally at 10, Figs. 1 and 2. One or more type wheels or similar recording elements llare supported for rotation by means of a rotary shaft 12 mounted in the frame work. These type wheels are rotated by means of time controlled mechanism to bring the type characters upon the periphery thereof into registeringposition witha record sheet. The t3' pe upon these type wheels may be of any .desired character,for example, for indicating the day of the week and the time of day in hours and minutes i The shaft 12- maybe rotated by a time con trolled operating mechanism including a toothed wheel l3 non-rotatably secured on shaft 12, and a driving pawl and ratchet mechanism 14 carried by a reciprocatory member lopivoted on the frame 10. The member 15 is oscillated by means of a link 16, which is operatively connected to a time con trolled driving member (not shown), such for example, as an electromagnethaving a reciprocating armature and being intermittently energized by timed electric impulses controlled by time mechanism in a manner well known in the a t. i

Mounted adjacent to the type Wheel in any suitable manner on the frame is a guide and support 17 having a slot or passageway for the reception of a worlnnans time card or similar record sheet A. This time. card is positioned the support 17 to cooperate with the type characters of the type wheel 11 so as to receive a printed in1- pression thereby. Also an ink ribbon 18 is supported in any preferred manner to he between the record or time card A and the periphery of the type wheels so as to supply the ink for the printed impression.

lhe impression or imprint is effected on the card by means of a swinging hammer 19, which may have a resilient impact face 20 of rubber or the like. The card guide and support 17 is so arranged as to interpose the time card between the hammer and the type. The hammer 19 is mounted for swinging movcment by means of a rotary shaft 21 carrying said hammer, and being rotatably mounted in the frame 10. The hammer arm is preferably pivotally mounted as at on a short arm 25 h'xed to the shaft 21, being restrained into slightly retracted position by means of a spring tensioned between the hammer arm and the arm 23. An arm fixed on the shaft 21 carries a lug 26 cooperating with the lug 26 on the frame 10 to limit movement of shaft 21 and crank arm during a forward stroke of the hammer. A spring 27 is connected to an extension 25 on the arm 25 and to the frame 10, being tensioned to more the shaft in the direction of an operative stroke or blow of the hammer.

A manual operating mechanism for re tractin the hammer 19 preparatory to an operative blow or stroke thereof, includes a handle 28 mounted upon the shaft 21 but being rotatable thereon and carrying a lug or rm 29, to which is pivoted a pawl or dog 30 positioned for interlocking engagement with a tooth 31 on the arm 25 and having a tripping extension or tail engageable with a tripping lug 33 mounted on the frame 10 by means of a pin 3%. Pivoted also to the outer end of the arm 29 is a connecting link 35 pivoted at its opposite end to a crank arm non-rotat ably secured to a shaft 37 rotatable in the frame 10. The shaft 37 is biased for rotation in one direction by a spring 38, tensioned between its connection to the frame and the crank arm 39 fixed upon the shaft 37. This connection tends to move the operating handle 28 into set position with the dog 30 interlocked with the lug or tootn 31, as shown in Fig. 1. The operation of this mechanism to retract the hammer 19 preparatory to delivering a blow against a time card to press it into rccordi: contact with the type wheels, will be understood by those skilled in the art without further detailed description. The blow of the hammer upon the part of the card A opposite to the type characte s, will press or force this part of the card against the ink ribbon and type characters so as to make a printer, impression.

is often desirable under certain circumstances that the instrument be rendered incapable of effecting a recording cooperation between the time card and the type wheels.

For example, such a circumstance may be when the time, during which a workman may report for duty, has elapsed, when it is dc sired to prevent entry of a time record upon, his card through operation of the recording instrument. One form of mocha ism for accomplishment of this p urposo is disclosed herein.

As shown in the drawing, a shield or 0bstructing plate 40 is carried by a supporting frame, or plate 41, which is mounted for move ment transversely of the striking face of the hammer, and across the path of its operative movement. This shield provided with an opening or out way, or discontinuous pertion, 12, which may be moved into aligmnent with the path of the hammer or aligned therewith. When the aperture is aligned in the path of the hammer stroke, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a blow of the latter is delivered through said aperture against the time 2rd to force or the latter into cooper-at recording position with the type wheels. When, however, the shield is moved to bring the aportmse out of alignment with the path of the han'imer, and to bring a part of the shield wall itself into alignment with said path, as shown in Fi j. Z), a blow of the hammer will be delivered directly against th face i be absorbed of t e shield, and the blow will by said shield, thus preventing a re ,7 cooperation between the time eard and the recording clement. Obstruction of the opera tive action of the hammer as described prevents delivery of a blow upon the time card which, therefore, will not be preri into con-- tact with the type wheels.

The obstructing plate or shield i0 is movable to or from obstructing position by means of supporting or guiding rods 43 connected to lugs l1 upon the shield support 4C1. These rocs 43 are COIlYlOltQLl to support the plate l1 and are mounted for vertical sliding movement in guiding apertures in the frame 10. Vhen the support ll is elevated, as shown in Fig. 8, the blow of the hammer is directed against the face of the shield, and when lowered, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the face of the hammer is aligned with the opening 42. v

The time controlled mechanism for controlling operation of the register obstructing mechanism will now be described. A timing wheel l lis rotatably mounted on frame 10 being driven from the time controlled shalt 12 by a train of driving connections including a toothed gear 45 on shaft 12 meshing with a gear 46 on a shaft 47, carrying also a gear 48, meshing with a gear 49 on a shaft 50, which carries also a pinion 51 meshing with the timing wheel i l. The timing wheel carries operating cams or lugs 52, which may be mounted for angular adjusting movement with reference to the axis of the timing wheel, to vary the period of action of the menses time control. A lever 53 is pivoted at one end to the frame 10 and has a cam or lug 54: co-

operative with the lugs 52 to raise the lever A link 55 connects the outer or swinging end of lever 58 with an arm 56 pivoted to the frame 10 and having a weight 57 at the free end thereof. A gravity shifter or automatic shifting pawl 58 is loosely pivoted to the lever 56, and depends freely from its pivotal connection between two pins or lugs 59 on a. pivoted arm 60 pivoted at its lower eX tremity to frame 10 and positionedbetween the lever 56 and the shifting pawl 58. The pawl 58 is shaped at opposite lateral sides thereof to provide similar lugs 61 for alternate cooperation with the respective adjacent lugs 59. The crank arm 36 is provided with an inward extension 36, at the inner ens of which is pivoted a link or pitman 62, extending upwardly and provided near its upper extremity with a seat 63 and awide guiding slot 64. This slot spans a shaft 65 for retaining the pitman in an upri ht operative position, but permits a limited lateral swinging movement of the upper end of the pitman.

The lever60'has an extension 60 lying adjacent the pitman 62 and carrying a pin 66 slidable in a slot 67 in the pitman, whereby lateral swinging movement of the lever 60 effects a corresponding lateral movement of the handle. I swung to the right, the seat 63 1s disaligned' the pitman. As the pitman 6:2 swings to the left in Fig. 1 the seat 63 thereof moves into alignment under a pin or lug 68 on the inner side of an arm 69 secured on the rotary shaft 65 to swing in a vertical plane. Upward longitudinal movement of the pitman will, therefore, cause the arm 69, and a similar spaced arm 69 mounted on shaft 65, to swing upwardly. The arms 69 being connected to the support 41 as at 69, it will be seen that upward movement of these arms will effect an upward movement of the obstructing plate or shield 40 into register obstructing position relative to the hammer 19, as shown in Fig. 3.

This upward movement of the pitman 62 effected at each depression of the operating handle 28, and a registering cooperation will therefore be prevented so long as the pitman remains in its left position, Fig. 1, by virtue of the automatic positioning of the shield L0 in obstructing position at each depression of However, when the pitman is with lug 68 and depression of the handle28 does not disturb the operative position of the shield, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the positioning of the pit-man 62 in operative or inoperative position is effected by the timing wheel 4 through the connections described. When the automatic pawl member 58 is raised by operation of the timing wheel, it swings by gravity from the position shown in Fig. 1, as soon as free from engagement with the left pin 59, into position for engagement with the right. pin 59. The descent of the gravity member 57 carries the pawl downwardly into engagement with the right pin 59 in such a manner as to swing the lever 60 to the right in Fig. 1, thus shifting the pitman 62 into inoperative position. The pins 59 at the same time are reset relatively to the pawl, so that the latter is reengaged with the left pin 59 at the next rising and falling movement of said pawl, which is efi'ected by operation of the next suecessive cam 52 on the timing wheel.

It will be observed that obstruction. to the. registering cooperation between the time card and the type wheelcould also be effected by locking the hammer operating mechanism against operative action by means of a locking device controlled by movement of the lever 60, or similarly by interposing an obstruction in the card guide and support 17 to prevent insertion of a time card at predetermined times. This locking mechanism or card obstructing mechanism would be controlled by the time wheel in a manner similar to the control thereby of the hammer obstructing plate.

A semaphore or signal member 70 may be utilized for notifying a workman that the machine is set in inoperative position. Such a signal may, as shown, be carried on a vertically disposed rotatable rod 71 having a crank 72 connected to the extension 60. of lever 60, as indicated zit-.73, whereby the semaphore is rotated through about during each swinging movement of the lever 60. The semaphore 70 may bear certain indicia to notify the workman of the condition of the registering instrument, such indicia being presented or withdrawn from a window or opening in the casing instrument by operation of the time controlled mechanism.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 4 in which the arrangement generally isthe same as the above set forth, and corresponding parts are designated by the same numerals with the addition of the index a. The arrangement of the type 7 wheels is the same as before, but the obstructing shield 4.0 is of the form shown, and supported by a support ll mounted for up and down movement by means of the guiding rods 43*. The swinging arms 69 are connected to the support 41- through links 74 for raising the obstructing plate 4L0 into obstructing po sition, or lowering it into non-obstructing position, in which latter position it is shown in Fig. 4 in this position the hammer 19 may press a time card or the like into contact with the type wheel 11 through the intermediate ink ribbon 18 which may be supported in any preferred manner. When the obstrueting plate L0 is raised it lies in t 1e path of the hammer and is encountered thereby to ob struct its operative action as described above.

The inner side of the obstructing shield a may be faced with a resilient pad of rubber or other resilient material, or the shield itself may be made of such material. Also, as shown in 5, the inner sioe of the shield opposite the type wheels may be faced with resilient material 75. This construction roidcs a cushion to protect the type from daniaging blows by operation of the hammer. This may be desirable, for example, in case the type of the type wheels is made of soft material, as 'ubber.

A two-color ribbon may be utilized and shifted in the ordinary manner to give one color record during a certain period of time and another color during a diiferent period of tim For shifting the two-colo on at timed intervals and ho ding the particular color in printing relati 1 to the type for the periods of time desires, it may be carri a Vertically reciprocal shiftino controlled in the manner hereinplained for the obstructing shield at. obstructing shield l0 with its tim devices would thus be time ccneroll ed sci mental to the two-color ribbon sift me nism. lVith such an arrangement, ii tions during one time period, moi-n1 lg, "or instance, c uld be in one color, and registrations in the afternoon could be in anothe" color, and the 'shield 40, atpredeteri i. intervals, controlled by timing mechanism, could move either into or out of position to prevent registration by either color, each condition enduring for any predetermined interval of time desired.

Since certain changes may made in the above construction, and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting s nse.

It is also to be unders ood that the following claims are int ded to cover the g i specific features of th on h ,1 *ed, and a 5911161 he scope of ntion ich as a rite" of I '1 guagc, might be said to fall 1 zeroes"- avn described my invention, wha claim new and desire to secure by Lette Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, recording u echanism for sion or record on a recon" and a mechanism oqerating ind manual control. to prenza card, or under oint time I de nee timed intervals the recor by said recording mechanism.

and

z i moraine into and away from p sition to obstruct a recording cooperati on between said recording e an the recorc sheet.

e character decribed,

recordi. element, time ism to t said recording so diiiercnt records, mecha recording cooperation i element and a record or the like, a sl ield mov, bly nnnmted c ncent said recording element, and mov able into and away :lron'i position to obstruct ation between said recordelemcnt and th record she t, and time rd in :ehanism to move said shield at .rv into position to ob- 'ation betw said re- .d the record sheet.

' the character described, recording element, time sm to set said recording different recording imn i y operal lo mechanism for V ecording cooperation between mining elemen and a record card, or lo, and time controlled mechanism ope at predetermined intervals for rensaid manually operable mechanism ctive to ca se a recording cooperation between recordi element ant the "e pernitting operation of rable mechanism.

the character described, a recording element, time in. to set said recording ditiercnt recording imy operable mechanism for l' cooperation between a recording cooper Sillt l record card win said manually ope in a device 0 in com oir mounted ad- 1 and operable o obstruct, at cording coop- -3 mechanism (we he.

a between and record sheet.

is "J 13 -v 1v 1 In testimony wiieieoi i aunt n s 'natum.

EXCEL 3WD D. c; 

